The purpose of the Safe and Inclusive Sangha Policy is to ensure that Melbourne Insight Meditation (MIM) is an inclusive community where everyone feels that their safety and wellbeing is valued and fostered.

Incidents, behaviour or conditions that threaten the safety or wellbeing of our community should be referred to our Committee for investigation and appropriate action.

This policy relates to the MIM committee, staff, visiting teachers, volunteers, and attendees to our weekly sits, workshops and retreats. Collectively known as ‘the MIM sangha’.

It is the Executive Officer’s responsibility to follow up on complaints or incidents lodged by any member of the sangha, by following MIM model rules, procedures and legislation.

Meditation can be harmful and may not be suitable for people with complex, unresolved trauma, PTSD, substance dependence or psychosis. A warning must be displayed on all MIM booking pages and on the website. All participants are asked to seek professional medical advice if they have any of these diagnoses about their suitability for attending retreats and detail this advice/approval to the Retreat Registration Manager.

If a person with complex, unresolved trauma, PTSD, substance dependence or psychosis diagnoses expresses interest in attending an MIM retreat, the Retreat Registration Manager can do the following:

• Inform the person that the onus of proof is on them to show that such a retreat is suitable for them. They can do this by providing a letter from their current therapist to this effect. The therapist must also be available for phone sessions during the retreat if required. The person must also provide the name and contact number of a person who could collect them from the retreat if they became disintegrated and needed to leave.

If these requirements are met, and if the retreat teachers are happy to have the person attend their retreat, then the person can attend an online or multi-day retreat.